


The Cafe of the Third Eye

by BlackFury



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-17
Updated: 2015-03-26
Packaged: 2017-11-16 13:03:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/539718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackFury/pseuds/BlackFury
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a planet in the Kalinda system is a cafe called The Third Eye.  It's a medium size establishment that caters to just about every species in the Galaxy.  However, it's claim to fame is it's resident singer, known only as Allegra. She seems to have no past or future, she's just always there.   She tells people things about themselves by the songs she chooses and she has a vast catalog of songs she can pick up in an instant.</p><p>The Doctor has been here in various incarnations either alone or with a companion or two.  Allegra always has a song for him and he always knows when it is for him.  She never tells the person when she sings for them but somehow, they know.  </p><p>This is a collection of stories of the Doctor's various visits to the Cafe.  Some involve companions and some do not.  I will post more chapters as Allegra sings more songs.  Each story will center on one song and the song will be the title of the story.  I hope you like this idea.  My Muse can be surprising at times.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Taking Chances

When the Doctor walked into the cafe, Rose was following close behind him. This was unusual for him, she thought, a cafe? He led her to a small table in the back and Rose was wide eyed as she watched the rest of the clientele. The Doctor sat with his back to the wall, as always and smiled at Rose, "Well, what will you have?" He asked his companion.

Rose was still looking around when he spoke again, "Rose?" She turned, "Doctor?" He smiled, his blue eyes almost laughing, "Rose, what will you have?" He indicated the waitress waiting patiently. Rose blushed slightly, "Sorry." She muttered. The Waitress smiled, "It's ok, I understand, new here, huh?" Rose nodded and the woman smiled again. Finally, both had ordered drinks and the waitress left.

"Doctor, why is this place called the Cafe of the Third Eye?" Rose asked, resting her elbows on the table. He smiled, "You heard of the Third eye of the Tao back on Earth?" Rose nodded, she had. The Doctor continued, "The woman who sings here is named Allegra at least, that's the only name she's known by. She has the ability to pick a song that perfectly fits one person in the audiance. Sometimes it talks about their past but, most of the time, it describes their future. She never tells anyone who the song is for but somehow, that person knows, you only have to watch their faces."

Rose watched him, "You've been here before?" He nodded, "Yeah, in some of my past incarnations. Sometimes, Allegra has given me the nudge to go in the right direction and sometimes, she's warned me not to do something. She's always right so, I come here occasionally besides, she's a fantastic singer. You'll see, she'll be on stage in a few minutes." Their drinks arrived then and Rose contented herself with sipping her drink and watching the crowd.

Twenty minutes later, Rose watched as a slim woman with flame red hair took the stage. She was dressed in a pair of black leggings, boots and a sapphire blue top belted at the waist. She sat on a tall stool behind a microphone stand and smiled as the band behind her tuned up. She never said anything and Rose looked at the Doctor with a raised eyebrow. He smiled, "She never talks, she just sings." Rose nodded as the band began the intro. Allegra smiled and began to sing.

"Don't know much about your life  
I don't know much about your world but  
Don't want to be alone tonight  
On this planet they call Earth

You don't know about my past and  
I don't have a future figured out,  
And maybe this is going too fast and  
Maybe it's not meant to last"

Rose's eyebrows raised again as she looked at the Doctor who was watched Allegra intently. Rose looked at the other patrons and it hit her, Allegra was singing to the Doctor and possibily her as well. Rose listened more carefully as Allegra continued.

"What do you say to taking chances  
What do you say to jumping off the edge  
Never knowing if there's solid ground below  
or hand to hold, or hell to pay?  
What do you say."

The band began the more rhymithic section of the song as Allegra closed her eyes and continued to sing.

"I just want to start again  
and maybe you can show me how to try  
Maybe you can take me in  
Somewhere underneath your sky

What do you say to taking chances  
What do you say to jumping off the edge  
Never knowing if there's solid ground below  
or hand to hold, or hell to pay  
what do you say?"

The next part of the song sent chills down the Doctor's spine as Allegra opened her eyes and looked directly at him.

"Well I've had my heart beaten down  
But I always come back for more  
There's nothing like love to pull you up  
when you're lying there on the floor

Talk to me, talk to me like lovers do  
Walk with me, walk with me like lovers do  
Like lovers do

What do you say to taking chance  
What do you say to jumping off the edge  
Never knowing if there's solid ground below  
or hand to hold or hell to pay  
What do you say

What do you say?

Don't know much about your life  
Don't know much about your world."

The crowd erupted into applause as Allegra finished her song with a smile. She looked at the Doctor and nodded slightly as she left the stage.

He tunred to Rose, "Well, what did I tell you?" Rose was quiet, part of the song had been to her as well and somehow, the Doctor knew it. The two were quiet as they finished their drinks then, Rose looked up at him. "Does she sing more than one song a night?" The Doctor smiled, "Yeah, she does, you want to stay and hear some more?"

Rose nodded, "I'd like to." "Then, we stay awhile." That gave Rose and him time to think about what they had heard. Rose wondered if there would be any change between them but, she was determined to wait, especially for him.

Finis


	2. Always on my Mind

The tall man with the mass of curly hair walked into the cafe slowly, almost shuffling in, like he couldn't walk any faster. He almost slumped in the chair of the table in the back corner, his scarf dangled onto the floor and his fedora was pulled low over his face. The waitress came over, "Sir, are you all right? You want a drink?" He pushed up the brim of the fedora and his blue eyes were haunted, full of pain. He ordered a double shot of something and the waitress went off to get it.

He sat back to think, First had come the call to Gallifrey. That meant he had to take his companion, Sarah Jane Smith back home to Earth. He hadn't wanted to do that but, it was the best way to protect her besides, humans were not welcome on his home world. This way, she could remember all they had been through together and use it to build her new life on. The Time Lords would have wiped her memory of every second spent with him and that was something he could not allow to happen.

The waitress returned with his drink and he thanked her. She smiled, 'Allegra will be on shortly." He managed a sad smile, "Thanks." The waitress moved on. Allegra was the main reason he was here. He hoped she'd be able to show him the right move to make. Right now, he was of two minds, go on with his travels or go back to Earth and find Sarah Jane. He was confused right now because both choices were rational ones.

He looked up as he heard a smattering of applause and managed a tired smile as a slim, flame haired woman took the stage. Allegra was barely five feet tall. She always wore the same outfit when performing, black boots, leggings, a sapphire blue long sleeve tunic top belted around the waist. She took her usual seat on a tall stool behind the microphone stand. Her sapphire blue eyes flicked across the crowd and settled on the figure at the back table. She smiled sadly, he was in so much pain and so confused. She closed her eyes and as always, a song came into her mind and she smiled as she made a sign to her band. Then, she started to sing.

"Maybe I didn't love you  
Quite as often as I could have  
Maybe I didn't hold you  
Quite as much as I should have  
Little things I should have said and done  
I just never took the time  
You were always on my mind  
You were always on my mind"

The Doctor's head shot up and his eyes widened as he heard the words of the song. Allegra had done it again. He sat forward now, listening intently to what Allegra was telling him.

"Maybe I didn't hold you  
All those long and lonely nights  
Maybe I never told you  
I'm so happy that you're mine  
Didn't mean to make you feel second best  
I'm so sorry I was blind  
You were always on my mind  
You were always on my mind"

The Doctor realized how right Allegra was, he had neglected Sarah Jane in a way, hadn't told her how he truly felt about her, how much he did, indeed, love her. The song continued.

"Tell me, Tell me that your sweet love hasn't died  
Give me, Give me one more chance to keep you satisfied  
keep you satisfied."

Then, he smiled, he had a second chance, he had a chance to go back to her, tell her everything and hope for the best. He smiled as Allegra finished the song.

"If I made you feel second best  
I'm so sorry I was blind  
You were always on my mind  
You were always on my mind

You are always on my mind  
You were always on my mind"

The crowd erupted into loud applause as Allegra finished then, as she came off the stage, she did something she didn't usually do. she walked over to the Doctor's table and sat down. "Hello, Doctor." Her voice was low, musical. He smiled, "Hello Allegra. Thanks." She smiled, "You're a friend, always have been always will be. Now, go find her, ok? And bring her, I'd like to meet this woman who has so obviously captured both of your hearts."

The Doctor smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I will, Allegra, I will."  
She smiled as he got to his feet and headed for the TARDIS. He had a trip to make.

Finis


	3. The Sweetest Thing I've Ever Known

The TARDIS landed with it's usual loud thump. The door opened and he stepped out. His chestnut curls slightly blowing in the soft breeze. He automatically adjusted the waistcoat, cravat and then the apple green frock coat he wore. He was still getting used to this regeneration and the timelines crackling around him still made him nervous but, he was learning to control what he saw. It would just take time.

The problem was, he knew something was coming but, it was still hazy, like in a fog and the more he tried to see what it was, the worse his headache got. He shook his head to clear it and walked on, thinking about Grace. He fell in love with her the first time he saw her but, after everything that had happened, he really wasn't surprised she had decided to stay on Earth. That last night in the TARDIS however, he thought back, he had kissed her merely to comfort her after what had happened.

What he hadn't expected was when she returned that kiss with a passion that equalled his own. When the two of them had come back to awareness of their surroundings, they had found themselves in his room in bed together, loving each other with a desperation only known to those who had come so close to death or, in Grace's case, those who had died and been brought back. He remembered the feel of her body against his, her hands caressing him and his own surprise that he could still love someone like that. 

He had thought that part of him had died when Aurellia, his first wife, had died back on Gallifrey. It took Grace to show him otherwise. He had looked into those beautiful, clear green eyes and the love he saw there almost made his hearts stop in fear. "My sweet Grace," He had murmured as he kissed her ear. She had smiled up at him, "My Doctor," was all she had said. He loved finding out what kind of sounds he could coax from her the next several hours. Then, they were spent. He held her close, already knowing she would stay behind but she had given him so much in the short time they were together.

Once outside the TARDIS, she had asked him to come with her and how he was so tempted to but, both knew he would't, couldn't stay on one planet, not even Earth. They had kissed once again under the fireworks then, he entered the TARDIS and left her standing there, watching him go. His hearts were breaking but, she had made her choice and though he understood it, it still hurt him deeply. With a sigh, he walked into the Cafe of the Third Eye and took his usual table at the back of the room. 

He wasn't sure just why he had come there except he always did when his hearts were broken or there was a problem he needed a nudge in the right direction to solve. Allegra was still a few minutes from taking the stage and he ordered a cup of tea. Once it arrived, he sipped it quietly, listening to the voices around him and closing his eyes briefly at the timelines around him. It seemed this planet was a nexus, a point where parallel universes came together as a safety valve. Very few existed.

Then, he looked up as the crowd's reaction told him Allegra was taking the stage. She never changed, he thought, waist length flame red hair, green eyes, barely five feet tall. Always the same outfit too, he noticed, boots, black leggings, sapphire top belted at the waist. The timelines he saw around her stunned him, it was as if she existed in multiple timelines all at once. "That can't be right," he muttered to himself, "Impossible." Then, he shrugged as she sat down on her stool and prepared to sing.

 

"When I see you in the morning  
With the sleep still in your eyes  
I remember all the laughter  
And the tears we shed last night"

He jerked his head up at the first stanza. Once again, Allegra had picked up on him. He and Grace had laughed and cried that night. A tear slipped down his cheek as the song continued.

"And as we lie here just two shadows  
in the light before the dawn  
The sweetest thing I've ever known  
is loving you

And I have never been afraid of losing  
And I have never wanted love to be a chain  
I only know that when I'm with you  
You're my sunshine, you're my rain  
The sweetest thing I've ever known  
is loving you."

He smiled, loving Grace had been sweet, sweeter than he had ever believed possible. Then, Allegra closed her eyes and continued to sing, just to him.

"Now you and I, we're not children  
we have both been loved before  
we have given and we have taken  
Many rides on troubled shores  
But all the heartaches and temptations  
only make me love you more  
The sweetest thing I've ever known  
is loving you"

He smiled, no wonder Grace had stayed, she understood better that he had what the two of them were, what they meant to each other but Grace, gracious woman she was, refused to tie him down to her. She would always love him and he would always love her but, their lives would not let them stay together. But she would be there if he needed her. Allegra kept on.

"And I have never been afraid of losing  
And I have never wanted love to be a chain,  
I only know that when I'm with you  
You're my sunshine, You're my rain,  
The sweetest thing, I've ever known is loving you

The Sweetest thing, I've ever known, is loving you."

Once Allegra was done, the room, as usual, erupted into applause. He joined, again thankful to whatever dieties were out there that had allowed him to meet this extraordinary woman. Finishing his tea, he headed back to his TARDIS, realizing now that, whatever was coming for him, he had Grace's unconditional love to fall back on, to give him the hope he needed to sustain him, no matter what. 

He bounced a little on the balls of his feet as he unlocked the TARDIS door and went in. Soon, the blue box faded away with it's familiar sound. Allegra watched from the window of the Cafe. "Take care, Doctor, maybe someday, you'll come to understand all of this." She smiled a secret smile as she walked back to the stage for another song.

Finis


	4. SongBird

The usual crowd was gathering in the cafe for Allerga's next set of songs to begin. Various races from all over the galaxy came to hear her sing and sometimes, those visitors were from outside this universe. The blond young woman who walked into the cafe then was such a one, from outside this universe. 

She remembered that last time she had come here with the Doctor. They had just started travelling together and he had wanted her to see this place. It was the first time she had seen and heard Allegra. She had sung a song that told the Doctor it was worth the risks to have Rose by his side and all of that had proven true.

But now, Rose was trying to find a way back to her Doctor after what had happened at Canary Wharf. She was grateful to Pete for rescuing her from being pulled into the Void itself but seperation from her beloved Doctor was almost more than she could bear. It had been one year since she arrived in the parallel universe and the ache in her heart had not gone away. The silence in her mind was the hardest to take, however.

The silence had Rose concerned and that was why she had been surprised to wander into this place again. She missed the constant hum of the TARDIS at the back of her mind but, something else was missing, something she hadn't even realized was there until it was gone. The music, a melody had been in her mind and now, silence. She hoped Allegra could help her understand so, she smiled as she took the table she and the Doctor had sat at all that time ago. The waitress came to take her order. Once it arrived, Rose thanked her and sat back.

Allegra smiled, knowing Rose was there. She had sensed her arrival earlier. As she checked her appearance in her dressing room mirror, she thought back. Rose had come first with the Ninth Doctor and that had been the last time Allegra had seen him. She checked her outfit, her usual for performing and headed out to the stage. It was unusual for her to choose a song so early but, it popped into her mind as soon as she knew Rose was there.

She took to the stage and smiled at the clientile then, she turned to the band and whispered the name of the song. They nodded and the intro began. Allegra took a look at Rose and then, began her song.

"Songbird sings from the heart  
Each word can tear you apart  
I sing - you sing along  
You find your life in my song"

Rose looked up, confused at first as she thought Allegra was singing about herself but then, as she listened she realized the lyrics went deeper than most people believed.

"When you need the strength to carry on  
You've got me to turn to  
With the songs that I sing  
And the magic they bring  
They've helped you be strong now"

Rose listened intently now as she began to put the pieces together.

"The song sets you free  
But who sings to me  
I'm all alone now  
Who sings for songbird"

"Songbird", Rose was thinking, "Is she referring to me or the TARDIS?"   
Allegra smiled softly as she continued her song.

"Sometimes  
When I' m all alone  
I sing my saddest song  
Lonely and no one can see  
This time the song is for me  
I can touch your secret place inside  
And still you don't know me"

Rose's face was wrinkled in thought as she tried to unravel this puzzle. She wondered if all of Allegra's songs were this hard to figure out or was it just her this time?

"With the songs that I sing  
And the magic they bring  
You've learned to be strong now  
The song sets you free  
But who sings to me  
I'm all alone now  
Where is my songbird  
Where is my songbird  
Who sings his song for me?"

The realization hit Rose like a runaway train, "She means the Doctor!" The thought flashed in Rose's mind. The Doctor was her Songbird, it was his song she was missing in her mind. It made her even more determined to get back to him any way she knew how. She finished her drink and got to her feet.

She looked in Allegra's direction and saw the woman smile at her softly. Rose returned the smile and headed out. It was time to stop wallowing in self pity and begin work on going home.

Finis


	5. Where Do I Go from Here?

The TARDIS landed with a loud thump and was still. It was several minutes before the door opened and a tall, lanky man with spiked hair, squared off sideburns and a pinstripe suit and a brown trench coat stumbled out. He had been crying, his eyes red rimmed and puffy. His face looked like he had been sad for a very long time. He stood there for a few as if getting his bearings, trying to remember where he was and why he had come here. It had been a hellish few weeks and there were things that had happened he didn't want to remember but that he could not forget, no matter how hard he tried.

Then, he looked over at the doors to the cafe and for once, he was afraid to go inside. He was afraid of what Allegra would sing to him. He had usually welcomed Allegra's songs but now, he was afraid of them because of what had happened back at Canary Wharf. He could still hear his voice screaming Rose's name as she was pulled towards the opening of the Void. He had been relieved when Pete had stepped through the opening and had caught Rose and disappeared with her but, that had seperated Rose and him, forever. The walls had closed between dimensions and Rose was locked away in another dimension.

He remembered standing against the wall she had disappeared through for the longest, the right side of his face pressed against the wall, thinking he could sense Rose on the other side till finally, he had turned and walked away, walked back to the TARDIS and had come here. He stood outside the Cafe and just looked at the doors. "Should I go in and risk what Allegra will say to me?" He thought to himself. "I could just get back in the TARDIS and leave." As that thought hit him, he heard a rude noise from his beloved machine and he grimaced. "I get it," He said out loud, "We don't leave until I do go in, right?" TARDIS answered in the affirmative and he muttered, "Traitor."

He knew she was right, however. He had come here for a reason and he had to face it now or run forever. He sighed, he was tired of running. He walked over, opened the door and walked into the cafe. He sat at his usual table, in the back corner and watched the rest of the clientile as they milled around, talking, getting drinks and speculating about what Allegra would sing that night. The waitress walked over to his table, "Hello, Doctor. What will you have, tea?" He smiled, "Yes, please." She nodded and went off to get it.

He looked at the stage and saw that Allegra's band was setting up for the evening. He went back in his mind to one of the few times his Eighth self had come here, after leaving Grace behind on Earth. He had been drawn here and what he had seen around Allegra still had him puzzled. he could have sworn she existed in multiple times all at once but that was supossed to be impossible, wasn't it? Who was she, what was she? Maybe someday he would finally figure it out. The waitress returned with his tea and he thanked her. 

Allegra walked out towards the stage and stopped. He was here and he was in such pain, such heart tearing, soul wracking pain and she knew why. He had just lost his Rose but Allegra could see what he couldn't see, that he would have her back, if only for a short time but now, he was hurting. The song that flashed in her mind held questions, no answers but right now, all he was doing was asking questions. As she thought on it, images began to flash into her mind, images of the Doctor and Rose, images she could use in singing this song for him. She nodded and mounted the stage to mild applause. She smiled, whispered to her lead guitarist and took her usual seat. She locked eyes with the Doctor for a few seconds then, the intro began.

"Autumn days  
Lying on a bed of leaves  
Watching clouds up through the trees  
You said our love was more than time

It's colder now  
The trees are bare and the nights are long  
Can't get warm since you've been gone  
And I can't stop singing sad songs"  
He looked up sharply, 'How did she know?' He thought. How did she know about that time on New Earth when he and Rose had reclined on the grass on his spread out coat? How could she know about that? Then there was Rose saying she would be with him 'Forever'. How did Allegra know? He settled to listen to the rest.

Where do I go from here?  
Tell me where do I go from here?  
Said you'd take me through the years  
So where do I go from here?"  
That was the question he had been asking himself but had been afraid to say out loud. Now, Allegra was asking it for him, Where was he to go now? Without his guiding star, where would he go?

Lovers plans, like falling leaves on windy days  
Flutter past and they fly away  
I thought I knew you all so well

And I need you now  
I need to feel you in the night  
I need your smile so warm and bright  
I wish my mind could let you go  
He couldn't let her go, that was just it, he thought. 'I can't let her go, she's so much a part of me I just cannot let go of her.' Then, those questions again, tearing at his heart and mind.

Where do I go from here?  
Tell me where do I go from here?  
You said you'd take me through the years  
So where do I go from here?

Where do I go from here?  
Tell me where do I go from here?  
You said you'd take me through the years  
So where do I go from here?

You said that you'd take me though the years  
So where do I go from here?"

 

As Allegra's voice trailed off at the end, the tears were flowing down the Doctor's face. He didn't even notice when Allegra sat down across from him till he looked up. There were tears in her eyes as well. "Doctor?" was all she said. He managed a small smile. "You did it again, girl, just like always." Allegra smiled, "It wasn't so hard this time, you were broadcasting as soon as you landed." He ducked his head, "Sorry," he mumbled. Allegra smiled, "Don't apologize. Want to tell me about it? I get the feeling you need to talk to somebody."

He looked at her and realized, she was trying to be a friend and he needed one. Allegra motioned to the waitress and ordered her own drink and let the Doctor talk about Rose and what had happened. By the time he was done, it was dark outside but Allegra listened. He looked at her. "Thanks." She smiled, "Hey, you needed a friend. Listen, you will find her again, ok?"

He looked at her, "How do you know that?" Allegra smiled, "All I can tell you is that she's looking for you. Doctor, she will be back, ok? I know." She smiled at him, got up and went back to the stage but, before she did, she looked back. "I don't usually do this but stay, I have a message from her for you." His brown eyes widened. Allegra never sang two songs for the same person but, this was a strange situation. He stayed.

TBC


	6. I'll Always Come Back

The Doctor was still seated at his table in the Cafe. Usually, after Allegra's song, he would leave but this time, she had asked him to stay, telling him that the next song was a message to him from someone else. He had a shrewd suspicion who it was from but, he wasn't too sure so, he waited. Allegra took to the stage and smiled. She knew the Doctor knew her secret, he just refused to let himself belive it. She was a Nexus, a being that could exisit in multiple timelines and dimensions all at the same time.

She had been destined for a very different future but, when she came of age, she said no and left her homeworld, coming here. She had started as a waitress and finally, the owner learned of her talents, especially with having the right song for the right person at the right time. She had learned the secret of this planet, that it was a gateway, a safety valve between dimensions but, she was the only one who could see the other beings who came here in different timelines. 

She took her seat on the stage and smiled in the Doctor's direction. She then looked at her band leader as he nodded to the others and the slow, lazy intro to this song began.

"Well, there's a nursery rhyme,  
It's a favorite of mine.  
About a little girl and some sheep  
That she could not find.  
They told her not to worry,  
They'd come back.

Darlin, you're my shepard,  
I'm your little lamb.  
But you ain't always gonna know where I am,  
But don't you worry, I'll come back."

The Doctor's head snapped up. Allegra had told him this was a message for him and suddenly he knew, it was from Rose. "Has to be," He said to himself, "Has to be from her." He listened carefully to the rest.

"I'll always come back, come back baby, to you.  
I'll always run back, straight to you.  
I'll never get too far away from you.  
I'll never get too lost that I can't be found.  
And I'm never gonna swim too far out, I might drown.  
And I'll always come back, come back baby, to you."

He began to smile, it sounded exactly like something Rose would say to him. He could almost hear her voice singing instead of Allegra's.

"Well there's a wooden wonder from way down under,  
They call a boomerang.  
If you handle it right, it'll come back.  
Well, you must have had one when you were a boy.  
'Cause you've got the touch that turns me into a toy.  
And like a boomerang, I'll come back."

The Doctor actually laughed hearing that verse. It sounded so much like his Rose. He could actually imagine Rose pinning this song. His smile grew wider.

“Keep your eyes on the horizon.  
When you start to missing me,  
Just look out your window and there I'll be.

'Cause I'll always come back, come back baby, to you.  
I'll always run back, straight to you.  
I'll never get too far away from you.  
I'll never get too lost that I can't be found.  
And I'm never gonna swim too far out, I might drown.  
And I'll always come back, come back baby, to you.

I'll always come back, come back baby, to you.”

The Doctor headed back to the TARDIS, feeling a whole lot better than he had when he first got here. He had a lot to do. He wasn’t sure exactly how Rose would get back but now, he had the hope in his hearts that she was already working on it. He determined that, in the meantime, he would live life as he always had.

Allegra watched him leave and shook her head. He would get his Rose back but not before a lot of conflict, pain and fear. He had a lot to go through till Rose and even that would not be a totally joyous reunion. As she headed back inside, Allegra prayed to any deity that she knew to keep him safe. The Universe needed him more than he realized.   
Finis


	7. Long, Long Time

The TARDIS landed and two people stepped out, a tall, lanky man with wild hair, squared off sideburns and a mega watt smile and a young woman with dark skin dressed in jeans and a red leather jacket. Martha Jones looked around curiously. "Where are we?" She asked the Doctor. He looked around, "Kalindra system, planet is called Nexus for some strange reason. Known mostly for this Cafe, called the Cafe of the Third Eye."

Martha looked at him, "Third Eye, as in the Third Eye of the Tao?" "Yes," the Doctor replied. Their resident singer, Allegra and yes, that is the only name she is known by, has a unique talent. She can pick out a song for a particular person at a particular time. It's like she can see into your soul to know what you need to hear. She's done it for me I don't know how many times in my lifetimes. She's always right however. Thing is, she never says who the song is for but somehow that person always knows she's singing for them. I think you'll like her."

They walked into the cafe and the Doctor led Martha to the usual table in the back corner that he always sat at when here. The waitress came over and took their orders and headed off. Martha looked around at the different races and species that milled around. She saw the band tuning up on the stage that ran across the entire back wall.  
"Where's Allegra?" The Doctor looked around, "Probably still in her dressing room. She doesn't usually come out until just before time to start the set. You'll know when you see her."

Martha nodded as the waitress brought their drinks. The Doctor, as usual, had ordered tea. Martha had ordered something a little stronger. Then, a smattering of applause got them looking around and the Doctor smiled, "There she is." Martha looked up and saw a petite woman with waist length flame red hair, wearing black boots, leggings, a long sleeved sapphire blue tunic belted at the waist. She was barely five feet tall. She looked over the crowd and saw the Doctor, giving him a nod then, she flicked a glance in Martha's direction. She turned to her band and whispered the name of the song she was going to sing. The intro started.

"Love will abide, take things in stride  
Sounds like good advice   
But there's no one in my sights  
And time washes clean love's wounds unseen  
That's what someone told me  
But I don't know what it means  
Cause I've done every thing I know  
To try and make you mine  
And I think I'm gonna love you  
For a long, long time"

Martha's head snapped up and listened. She was thinking , "How did Allegra know that I'm in love with him? How did she know?" The song continued.

"Caught in my fears, blinking back the tears  
I can't say you hurt me  
When you never let me near  
And I never drew, one response from you  
All the world you felt  
All the while you fell all over girls you never knew  
Cause I've done everything I know  
To try and make you mine  
And I think it's gonna hurt me  
For a long, long time"

Tears were threatening to spill down Martha's cheeks but she had to keep them hidden since he didn't know how she felt about him. All he talked about was Rose and it made her want to scream at him sometimes, scream, "Look at me, I'm here!" But, he never looked.

"Wait for the day, you'll go away  
Knowing that you warned me  
Of the price I had to pay  
And lives full of loss, who knows the cost  
Living with the memory of a love that never was  
Cause I've done everything I know   
To try and change your mind  
And I think I'm gonna miss you  
For a long, long time"

Martha nodded to herself, the Doctor had warned her before she agreed to travel with him but, she had come anyway and now, she wasn't sure she made the right choice but, she was here now and she would stay as long as she could. 

"Cause I've done everything I know  
To try and make you mine  
And I think I'm gonna love you  
For a long, long time"

There was applause when the song was finished and people resumed their conversations. Martha picked up her drink and was sipping it as the Doctor finished his tea. He hadn't said anything since he knew this song wasn't for him. He didn't see the small smile Allegra flashed at Martha ss she left the stage.

Martha smiled back sadly. Allegra nodded and headed back to her dressing room to relax and think. Martha followed the Doctor back to the TARDIS and the two disappeared. Allegra watched from her window, "Good luck, Martha Jones, you're going to need it."

End


	8. To Where You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I need to explain something here. The video I did with this song is The Eighth Doctor and Grace. However as I prepared to write this story, my Muse dropped an idea into my mind, She is devious that way. This will deal with the Fourth Doctor reflecting on something he hates to think about, death. Specifically, the loss of Sarah Jane Smith. I know, a lot of tribute stories have already been written, even I have one on this site and this kinda follows that story called "Everything Ends". I just hope you like what I did here. Thanks!

The blue police call box was, by now, a familiar sight to those who frequented the Cafe of the Third Eye. The ones who worked there knew the owner of the call box. He was a regular visitor to the place. Now, he was here and he was grieving. He had shown up just as the place opened and was sitting at his usual table in the back corner.

The fedora was low over his eyes like he didn't want anyone to see them. He didn't, they were red, puffy and still filled with tears. He had not thought he would ever feel like this but then, he hadn't expected Sarah Jane to die so soon either. It was too soon for her, that pert, hard nosed investigative journalist. She still had life to live but that damned disease had taken her away from him and all she loved.

He had been there with her, at the end, sitting by her bed, her frail, weak hand resting in his large one. He had broken all the laws of time to get to her but, it had been worth it. He had finally been able to tell her how much he did, indeed, love her. He had stayed by her side till the morning after her burial then, he had come straight here. He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to hear from Allegra but he knew, somehow he knew she would be able to give hiim some kind of comfort.

Allegra knew, the second TARDIS had landed, she sensed his grief, his loneliness. It took time for the right song to come to her but, as she was preparing for her third song, it came, the perfect song to help him express what he was thinking and feeling at that moment. Allegra whispered to her band leader and he nodded to the others. She took her seat and closed her eyes then, she began to sing.

"Who can say for certain  
Maybe you're still here  
I feel you all around me  
Your memories so clear"

The Doctor's head came up and he pushed the fedora up a bit so he could see Allegra. He listened, letting the words of the song wrap around him.

"Deep in the stillness  
I can hear you speak  
You're still an inspiration  
Can it be?  
That you are my  
Forever love  
And you are watching over me from up above"

The Doctor smiled, it would be just like Sarah Jane to keep an eye on him, even now. There were times where he did hear her voice, giving him advice like she used to.

"Fly me up to where you are  
Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for awhile to know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are"

He grinned, her smile had always lit up his life and even now, he felt better, thinking of her and the life they had had together. Now, she was forever part of those stars.

"Are you gently sleeping  
Here inside my dream  
And isn't faith believing  
All power can't be seen

As my heart holds you  
Just one beat away  
I cherish all you gave me everyday  
'Cause you are my  
Forever love  
Watching me from up above

And I believe  
That angels breathe  
And that love will live on and never leave'

His eyes unfocused, thinking about Sarah Jane as his angel now. He did cherish all she had given him and he wondered if she knew? He hoped she did and he knew his love for her would never die, never.

"Fly me up  
To where you are  
Beyond the distant star  
I wish upon tonight  
To see you smile  
If only for awhile  
To know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are

I know you're there  
A breath away's not far  
To where you are"

He sat back, pushed his fedora up fully and grinned. Allegra had seen into him again and reminded him that as long as he kept her in his hearts, Sarah Jane would never really be gone from him. He stayed and had his usual tea and then, walked back out to TARDIS. He unlocked the door, stepped inside and soon, the blue box disappeared. He knew, he had an angel now, always beside him, always watching out for him. She would always be a part of his life.

Finis


	9. Can't Fight this Feeling Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ninth Doctor comes to the Cafe alone while Rose visits her mother. I'm placing this as happening after the episode "Dalek" The Doctor's soul is in turmoil for many reasons and now, he has to sort them out.

The Ninth Doctor came in alone. Rose had asked for time to visit her mother, Jackie and he had agreed they needed time apart, especially after what had happened with that damned Dalek. As usual, when he had questions, he came here to the Cafe of the Third Eye. He smiled, remembering bringing Rose here not long after they had begun traveling together. Allegra had sang the song, "Taking Chances" to him, telling him it was worth having Rose around but now, he wasn't so sure. The feelings he felt stirring inside of him had not been there for a very long time.

He sat at his usual table, in the back corner of the large room. No matter when he came here, the room was always full. The waitress came over and he told her what he wanted to drink. She smiled and went off. He couldn't read timelines as well or as clearly as his previous incarnation had been able to but, even he knew the timelines here were strange, to say the least. Especially the ones surrounding Allegra.

He shook his head. He was here to get the answers to the questions that had been running around in his mind for awhile now. He knew what he was feeling but, he had to admit it to himself, he was afraid. Everyone and everything he had ever loved, he had lost. Jo Grant had left, Sarah Jane had to leave, Leela, Romana, Adric was dead, Nyssa had gone, Tegan had left, she couldn't take anymore, Grace had stayed behind on Earth. He thought the most about Romana, how much he had loved her and it hadn't been until his Eighth incarnation that he had finally been able to show her but she was gone too, victim of the Daleks in the Time War.

He sighed and shook his head. "Why bother?" He thought, "I'll just hurt Rose and she doesn't deserve that. I could just leave her with her mum, never go back for her and she'd be a lot safer." He wasn't sure what to do so, he had come here. "Maybe Allegra can help me again." He smiled, she always managed to be able to help him, one way or another. The waitress came back with his drink and he thanked her. There were times when he wanted something stronger than tea and today was one of those days. He looked up and Allegra was taking the stage.

She looked at her band, whispered a few words then, she took her usual seat on the tall stool before the microphone stand. She felt the eddies and waves of emotions in the room but one dominated. He was here again and Allegra smiled. The introduction to the song she had chosen began. 

"I can't fight this feeling any longer  
And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow  
What started out as friendship, has grown stronger  
I only wish I had the strength to let it show"

His head snapped up. She had done it again, he thought. "That' describes exactly how I feel," he whispered to himself.

"I tell myself that I can't hold out forever  
I said there is no reason for my fear  
Cause I feel so secure when we're together  
You give my life direction  
You make everything so clear"

Allegra was right there, he thought. Everything is clear, my path is defined when Rose is with me and she has given me a new direction for my life.

"And even as I wander  
I'm keeping you in sight  
You're a candle in the window  
On a cold, dark winter's night  
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might"

He smiled, Rose was a light in his darkness and his hearts were warm whenever she was with him. 

"And I can't fight this feeling anymore  
I've forgotten what I started fighting for  
It's time to bring this ship into the shore  
And throw away the oars, forever"

Allegra was right, he couldn't fight this anymore. He had to face it, one way or another before he made a mistake that he would regret for the rest of his existence.

"Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore  
I've forgotten what I started fighting for  
And if I have to crawl upon the floor  
Come crashing through your door  
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you  
I've been running round in circles in my mind  
And it always seems that I'm following you, girl  
Cause you take me to the places that alone I'd never find"

He smiled hearing that verse, How like his life since he found Rose. Places they had been to he had seen in a new way, seeing them through her eyes.

"And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight  
You're a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter's night  
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

And I can't fight this feeling anymore  
I've forgotten what I started fighting for  
It's time to bring this ship into the shore  
And throw away the oars, forever

Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore  
I've forgotten what I started fighting for  
And if I have to crawl upon the floor  
Come crushing through your door  
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore."

He smiled as he sipped the last of his drink. Allegra was right, he had to stop fighting what he was feeling for Rose and just see where it could take the both of them. He looked at the stage, caught Allegra's eye and nodded. He then slipped into TARDIS and disappeared. He was going back for his Rose.

Finis


	10. My Heart Will Go On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace Holloway finds the Cafe and goes inside after a long nights work and finds answers she thought she never would. She misses her Doctor and wonders if she will ever forget him or if he will forget her. Allegra answers both of those questions in one song.

It had been a long, hard week for Grace Holloway. She had been so busy with her patients she had been sleeping in her office, not even bothering to go home. She couldn't remember who it was but someone at the hospital had told her about this place. They had even given her specific directions as to how to get here. She walked in and looked around. It was large but not overly crowded. She found a table back in a corner and sat down. The waitress came over to her and asked what she wanted. Grace ordered coffee.

She looked at the clientele and smiled, they seemed to be of varying positions in life but all seemed relaxed, except for her. She smiled to herself as a memory entered her mind, memories of him, her Doctor, that mysterious time and space traveller she had met three years ago. She let her mind wander back to him, the manic way he raved over the shoes she had given him. She wondered if he was still wearing them? The wonder in her own mind as she had listened to his twin hearts. The life flowing through him had awed her.

When he had kissed her in the park, she hadn't been afraid or angry. She had welcomed them. She knew, she had fallen in love then. When he had returned her to the water park, she had been so tempted to go with him but, her calling wouldn't let her indulge in her own whims, her patients needed her. She wanted to go with him, be by his side exploring the universe but, her duty would not let her. She wondered what he was doing now, where was he, was he happy?"

The waitress brought her coffee and Grace thanked her then she saw the band taking the stage. That was something her friend hadn't mentioned to her but, it was nice to see. True, they probably weren't going to play Puccini but, she didn't listen to opera all of the time. They began tuning up and Grace saw the woman heading to the stage. She was petite, around five feet tall with waist length flame red hair, wearing black ankle boots, leggings and a knee length, long sleeved sapphire blue tunic belted at the waist. She slowly walked up onto the stage and sat on a tall stool that was behind the microphone stand.

Allegra looked out over the crowd. This was one of the few times she had been in this dimension and it always involved the Doctor one way or another. He wasn't here this time but someone connected with him was. The question was which one? She looked around and her eyes fell on Grace. The Doctor's aura was all around her. Allegra smiled, this one had turned down his invitation to go with him and was, quite possibly, regretting it in a way. Allegra smiled, this woman had no way of knowing that her timeline would cross the Doctor's again. Allegra thought and then, the song to sing popped into her mind. She told her band leader and he passed it to the band. The intro began.

"Every night in my dreams  
I see you, I feel you  
That is how I know you go on  
Far across the distance  
And spaces between us  
You have come to show you go on"

Grace looked up, her mouth partially open. How did this woman know that she was dreaming about the Doctor, been seeing him over and over again in her mind.

"Near, Far, wherever you are  
I believe that the heart does go on  
Once more  
You open the door  
And you're here in my heart  
And my heart will go on and on"

Grace smiled, he was in her heart and always would be. She couldn't change the fact that she loved him and she really didn't want to. She went back to those kisses. They were so sweet and yet, she remembered the hint of passion that was underlying them. It made her wonder what could have happened between them.

"Love can touch us one time  
And last for a lifetime  
And never let go till we're gone  
Love was when I loved you  
One true time I hold to  
In my life we'll always go on"

She realized that what she had felt for Brad had not been love, no way but what she had felt with the Doctor? That had been love in it's purest form. He loved her. She had realized that when she had come back after the Master had killed her. The look on the Doctor's face and in his eyes when he saw she was alive had told her all she needed to know. He had held her tightly against him, his hearts beating in his chest, whispering "You came back" in her ear.

"You're here, there's nothing I fear  
And I know that my heart will go on  
We'll stay forever this way  
You are safe in my heart  
and my heart will go on and on"

She hadn't been afraid, even when the Master had charged at her. She had only been concerned for him, her Doctor. When he held her, she had wanted nothing more that to stay there but, life and duty had called to her. She smile softly as the song ended and Grace finished her coffee. He would always be a part of her life now, no matter where in the universe he was. She just hoped he remembered her. She walked out, got into her car and drove away. She didn't see the Cafe disappear behind her. Allegra smiled, what she had needed to do was done and now, she wondered where the Cafe would appear next. Wherever it was, she knew the Doctor would be involved.

Finis


	11. If I had only Known

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tenth Doctor returns to the Cafe after leaving Rose in the alternate universe with his duplicate and after having to destroy Donna's memories of him.

The TARDIS landed with a thump and for the longest, no one stepped out. Finally, a tall, lanky man with wild hair and squared off sideburns stumbled out. He was soaking wet but acted like he didn't care. He heard the sounds from inside the Cafe but, he didn't react to them, not yet. Finally, he looked around, got his bearings and walked inside. He found the table he usually sat at and leaned back against the wall behind him. A waitress came over and quietly asked him if he wanted anything. He ordered tea and she walked away.

He sat with his head in his hands. Everything had happened so quickly that he hadn't had time to think and now, he had too much time. Leaving Rose in the other dimension with his twin had hurt but, it was her chance for the forever she had always wanted. He knew how much his clone loved her, after all, he loved her with everything he had. How could his clone not love Rose Tyler? He knew she would be all right with him.

But then, Donna. What had happened with Donna had floored him. She had been doing so well after the Crucible and the creation of his twin. Even on the beach of Bad Wolf Bay, she had been the one to tell his twin how to accelerate the growth of the TARDIS coral he had tossed to him. The Doctor had smiled on that and then......then, it had all gone so wrong. Her head began to burn and there was only one way to save her and he had done it.

He had wiped Donna Noble's mind of every memory ever associated with him. She had grown and learned so much and now, it was all gone. "No," he thought, "Not totally gone, I remember." But Donna would never remember that she had been the single most important being in the entire universe. But for her, Davros would have succeeded and none of what was now here would have existed, not even him. He had taken her home, to her mother and her grand father. He had told them what he had done and why and then, as he was leaving, the skies had opened up, almost as if heaven was weeping for her.

He had stumbled into his beloved TARDIS, thrown his soaked trench coat over a coral strut and had blindly set controls or, maybe TARDIS had brought him here. The waitress set his tea on the table and he looked up and thanked her. He poured a cup from the pot and sipped it, letting it's warmth begin to permeate his body, taking away some of the chill he was feeling from being out in the rain. He saw that Allegra's band was beginning to set up on the stage and he smiled, wondering what Allegra would make of his mood right now. 

Allegra was in her dressing room brushing her long hair when she felt him. What had happened this time? She wondered. He was relieved about something and yet, he was in such pain. She stopped and looked at her mirror. He was in pain about both companions and yet, where one was concerned, he was satisfied but the other one, that's where the pain was coming from. This presented her with a dilemma until a song popped into her mind and she smiled, "Of course," she whispered, "The perfect song for both." She laid her brush down, straightened her tunic and headed out to the stage. It was time to sing.

She took to the stage to a smattering of applause. She nodded in acknowledgement and looked over at the back corner. She was shocked by his appearance. His hair was usually unruly but the rest was usually immaculate if a bit rumpled but now, it was as if he no longer cared. She spoke to her bandleader, telling him what she wanted to sing. He nodded and told the rest of the group. She took her seat on the high stool behind the microphone stand as the band tuned up. 

The band began the intro to the song and Allegra closed her eyes. She hoped this would help him but, she never knew if it would or not. She smiled as her cue came up.

"If I had only known  
It was our last walk in the rain  
I'd keep you out for hours in the storm  
I would hold your hand  
Like a lifeline to my heart  
Underneath the thunder we'd be warm  
If I had only known  
It was our last walk in the rain"

The Doctor's head came up as Allegra began to sing. Right now, he was thinking of Rose. He really hadn't known for sure until after the Crucible that he would never see her again. It had hurt but he still thought he had done the right thing. His twin needed her, needed her more that he, The Doctor, did. "At least she's not alone," He thought. Allegra continued.

"If I had only known  
I'd never hear your voice again  
I'd memorize each thing you ever said  
And on those lonely nights  
I could think of them once more  
Keep your voice alive inside my head  
If I had only known   
I'd never hear your voice again"

Now, he thought about Donna, her way of talking, calling him "Spaceman" and then in the Crucible, when she had called him and his twin "Skinny boys in suits," He smiled, He would remember her voice every time he closed his eyes. He would miss her, miss her alot more than he had realized. A tear began to run down his cheek and he dashed it away furiously.

"You were the treasure in my hand  
You were the one who always stood beside me  
So unaware I foolishly believed  
That you would always be there  
But then there came a day  
And I turned my head and  
You slipped away"

Now, it was Rose again. He had wanted so badly to believe her when she said she would stay with him forever and he had let himself believe it. Even after Canary Wharf, she had found a way back but now, there would be no way back. No way back for either Rose or Donna.

"If I had only known  
It was my last night by your side  
I'd pray a minute would stop the dawn  
And when you'd smile at me  
I would look into your eyes  
And make sure you knew my love for you  
goes on and on"

He had lost both of them and yet, each in their own way had loved him. He had had to admit to himself that he also loved both of them but in vastly different ways. Rose was the love of his Tenth incarnations life and Donna, Donna was best friend, big sister in a way and now, both were gone, by his own doing. He just hadn't expected to miss them so much.

"If I had only known  
If I had only known  
The love I would have shown  
If I had only known

(Spoken) If I had only known"

The music finished and there was silence for a few moments then, the crowd erupted into applause. From the looks on some of the faces around him, the Doctor knew this song had not been just for him. He knew it may be too late but, he resolved to never let anything ,like this happen again. He would not take any companion for granted ever again. He had done that with Sarah Jane, Tegan, Nyssa, even Ace. Grace, beautiful, sweet Grace, he had never taken her for granted but then, his Eighth incarnation had loved her so overwhelmingly he had actually gone back to Earth to get her. She was dead now, so long ago. 

He had so many regrets, so much sadness in his long lifespan. He sat there, still sipping his tea and thinking until finally, he got to his feet, pulled his trench coat around him and walked back out to TARDIS. He slipped inside and soon, with a familiar sound, the big, blue call box vanished.

Finis


	12. Chapter 12

Tegan Jovanka had been back in Australia for many years since she had left the Doctor after that horrible day at Heathrow Airport and the Daleks. She had seen so much death and destruction coming on top of losing Adric in that space ship explosion. She had just not been able to take any more and she had run away.  
She had then run back just in time to see Tardis fade from view. It was so final. He was gone and she doubted if she would ever see him again. She had returned home to Brisbane and had wandered around for a few months, feeling sorry for herself until she came across a group of Australians fighting for Abrigional rights. She had found her new calling. The Doctor would have done something like this so she threw herself into the cause with all the passion she possessed.

However, she still missed the Doctor and wished so many times that she hadn't said what she said to him. She looked up at the entrance to this club one of the other friends had told her about. She walked in to find the atmosphere relatively peaceful for a nightclub. She found an empty table against a back wall and settled in. The waitress came to the table and Tegan ordered. She saw the stage and band set up.

In her dressing room, Allegra was preparing for her set when she had that feeling again. One of the Doctor's former companions was here. She could feel the pain, regret, sadness that this woman was experiencing. She also sensed that this one and the Doctor had not parted on the best of terms and that this lady was regretting it now.  
Allegra was thinking about what song she should do. Then, as always, it flashed into her mind. She smiled as she finished brushing her flame coloured hair. She checked her sapphire, long sleeved belted tunic, black leggings and black knee high boots. She headed for the stage. She walked over to her band leader and whispered the song in his ear. He nodded and she took her seat behind the microphone stand.  
When the band began tuning up, Tegan looked up and settled in to listen. She wasn't, however, prepared for what was going to happen next. Allegra began to sing.

"If I could turn back time If I could find a way  
I'd take back all those words that have hurt you and you'd stay  
I don't know why I did the things I did  
I don't know why I said the things I said  
Pride's like a knife it can cut deep deep inside  
Words are like weapons they wound sometimes  
I didn't really mean to hurt you  
I didn't want to see you go, I know I made you cry  
But if I could turn back time, If I could find a way  
I'd take back all those words that have hurt you and you'd stay  
If I could reach the stars, I'd give them all to you  
Then you'd love me, love like you used to do  
If I could turn back time"

Tegan's head snapped up. She was thinking what was going on? How did this singer know what was in her heart and soul? She had been feeling like that for months now but how did this girl know? Allegra continued.

"My world was shattered I was torn apart  
like someone took a knife and drove it deep in my heart  
When you walked out that door I swore I didn't care  
but I lost everything darling then and there  
Too strong to tell you I was sorry, Too proud to tell you I was wrong  
I know that I was blind  
But If I could turn back time, If I could find a way  
I'd take back all those words that have hurt you and you'd stay  
If I could reach the stars, I'd give them all to you  
Then you'd love me, love me, like you used to do  
Oh yeah, If I could turn back time, If I could turn back time  
If I could reach the stars, I'd give them all to you  
Then you'd love me, like you used to do  
If I could turn back time."

Allegra finished to tremendous applause, smiled and left the stage.  
Tegan sat there thinking and realizing that she may not see him again but that he would always be a part of her no matter where she went or what she did. She smiled as she left. She wouldn't change that life for anything, no matter how it ended.

Finis


End file.
